There are still many, many things Cassian cannot quite believe happened and are happening. His girlfriend is an actual princess. It changes absolutely nothing about how he feels about her, but he supposes the reality of continuing to date her with this level of seriousness is much different than he anticipated.
Two, he is in Denmark. He has to admit, it's never been on his list of countries he wanted to visit, yet here he is, in Denmark, riding in a private car from the airport with his dog and girlfriend, who is again, a princess.
A princess whomst he sexted on many occasions. Somehow that keeps being the weirdest part of all this to him?
He can see her nerves come to life, the same as his dog, and he reaches over to tangle his fingers through hers. His own anxiety is churning much more quietly, but it's still there too.
"If I wanted to turn around, I would have done so at the American airport." Chantico takes the opportunity to lick at both their hands, whining again. This has been a very long and very strange day for a dog! "Am I nervous to meet your family? Yes. But I am still happy to be here with you."
He is maybe more nervous now than he might have been a month ago because, again, royalty. But spending time with Jyn is never an issue.
Sounds fake, but Jyn settles minutely with Cassian's hand in hers. It's worse because she is tired, which she knows, travel always makes her very grumpy, but it still feels more stressful than anything. Maybe even more stressful than when Saw taught her active shooter and bomb threat drills with live ammo -- which was fucking stressful. Teenagers should not be exposed to that.
She's happy enough to take the rest of the short ride in nervous silence, but she does stretch up to kiss him drowsily and point out: "Teddy has a family tree cheat sheet we made him when he and Aggie started dating, I bet he brought it for you."
She seems to calm down once he takes her hand, which turns out to be mutual, the simple contact making him feel more comfortable.
When she leans up to kiss him, he returns it with the same sort of laziness. Just like how easy it is to spend time with her, it's just as easy to kiss her without thinking. "Teddy is one of your cousins, right? Do I have to memorize everyone right away?"
He may have furiously googled everything about the Danish royal family on wikipedia already, but some of the cousins and more distant relatives don't have much to go on. They honestly all kind of blended together! Save for Jyn and her parents.
"Teddy is my uncle, he is married to my Aunt Aggie, she is the baby and the only one nice to Mama." It's obvious that she is tired because she fell back into calling her mother Mama instead of Mum. "Papa has three sisters: Lisse, Anna, and Aggie. Lisse is the oldest, then Papa, then Anna -- she isn't awful, not really -- and then Aggie."
She is definitely borrowing that cheat sheet for him, but she is happy to explain since Cassian is here because she asked and is meeting an entire royal family for her. Because of her.
"You don't have to remember though, I'll introduce everyone when the time comes. And don't worry, Papa doesn't care about ceremony. You don't have to bow or anything dumb like that."
He grins at the thought of this outsider uncle purposely bringing him a family tree. It's weird solidarity with a man he's never met.
"Good, because you know I would refuse to bow to any monarch." Why yes he will bring up his anti-monarchical views on the way to meet her very royal family. "I would only get on my knees before you, and that is very different."
Clearly the best way to deal with any of this stress for both of them is to just... be normal and light, run with the fact that she's a princess like it's no big deal. "I will remember them all eventually."
"Will you get on your knees for me while I am on the throne because I could think of nothing more respectful to the crown than making me come in the seat of the monarchy." Respectful, disrespectful, who is to say. It would sure be respecting her.
If he thinks Jyn won't defile the throne room, he is wrong.
Cassian laughs, and though he has no idea what the throne room actually looks like, it's a mental image he can't help but conjure. Even if they still have yet to have any kind of real sex.
He leans in to kiss her temple. "I can think of no better way to show how little I value monarchies versus how much I value you."
He respects her! He does not respect the crown! It's honestly perfect.
She hums happily at the press of his lips against her forehead, smiling a little because a. she loves his laugh, b. she loves his kisses, and c. she is very happy to be spending Christmas with this beautiful wonderful man.
Maybe it'll even snow for him.
It's only a few minutes later that the car pulls in and Jyn reluctantly pulls away. Not because she wants to be away from Cassian but because she is a stubborn cow and wants to open her own car door. She is lucky that Denmark's royals aren't all that famous because there are no paparazzi to snap her leaping out of the car in leggings and a sweatshirt she stole out of Cassian's carry on during the flight to cover her thin long sleeves.
"Come on, Chantico. Let's get those paws on the ground again!"
They've stopped in front of one of actually four identical palaces set around a courtyard. The blue green main doors are open and a tall man is silhouetted against the light spilling out from inside, along with a number of windows. It's not late enough that the other palaces are blackened, but two of them do look as if they are closed for the night. "Hi Bodhi! You look like a serial killer looming there!"
She seems in much better spirits after that, so hopefully it will keep up!! Cassian never lets go of her hand for the rest of the car ride, only letting go when she does as they pull up to her very large home.
Well. At least it doesn't look much like a palace? It just looks like four large buildings with a very large courtyard.
Chantico zooms out of the car before Cassian, ready to move and prance, because it has been a very long day of keeping still! She's practically dancing in place while she waits for Cassian to climb out after her, because as excited as she is to be outside, she won't go far in this strange place without him. She whines, nudging his leg. He feels very underdressed before this palace in his jeans and hoodie (he brought more than one knowing Jyn would steal one), but at least Jyn is matched up.
God, he barely even recognized Bodhi at first. Maybe he's still just in a state of quiet awe about everything. "I am beginning to think you are an expert at looming."
But now that he knows Jyn is a princess, it certainly explains a lot about Bodhi's odd behavior when it comes to his sister.
"I'm not looming," Bodhi complains from the door, stepping out so he is under the lights finally and they can see the Danish prince in his jeans and pullover jumper. "Welcome home, jerks."
If they're gonna make fun of him, he's going to be rude right back. That is how siblings work!
The driver grabs Jyn and Cassian's bags and brings them inside with ease since neither of them actually packed all that much because Jyn assured Cassian he could borrow anything from Bodhi, including a coat so they didn't have to pack their winter coats and suffer on the plane in puffy jackets. That would have been torture. Luckily the night is pretty temperate considering it is December, but Jyn is just happy to be out of the stuffy car and in the fresh sea air. She's practically dancing around the courtyard too so Chantico isn't alone.
Seeing Bodhi so casual makes him feel better. They're all a bunch of casual twenty-somethings! Two of which are part of the Danish royal family. He'll stop repeating that, maybe once he gets used to being in a palace for the next week or so.
Cassian nearly grabs his bag from the driver, simply because his first though his someone is trying to steal it not carry it for him. He's so baffled by the concept of it that he watches the driver take his bag away until they disappear inside.
He turns back to his dog, who zips around in circles, whining out a song before she just... squats over and starts to pee in the courtyard. There's no grass or trees, and she really has to go!
"Chantico!" he scolds, but nature is calling and his dog can't hold it back anymore. Excellent first impression all around! His fluff monster pissing in the royal courtyard!
Jyn snorts but brushes Cassian's concerns off. "Dogs pee here all the time. Two of the buildings are open for tours so trust me, she is not the first pupperino to pee here." A beat. "Plus Farfar pissed in the fountain at his and Farmor's engagement party."
Bodhi helpfully adds, smirking: "Jyn puked on the steps the night before we went back for fall semester."
"I was ill," Jyn protests even as she leaps out of the way of Chantico's puddle. She was not ill, she was drunk. "There is a garden out back she is welcome to fertilize with her blessings, she is not the only dog so there will be plenty for her to sniff out and explore."
That's easy for her to say! It's fine, he'll be fine. Chantico finishes her business and perks up again, tail wagging as she trots over to say hello to Bodhi. The talk of the other dogs, of relatives also pissing and Jyn herself puking does quell some of his anxieties.
"Alcohol related illness?" he teases, because that's more familiar to tease her for than the giant palaces around him. "She will be happy to meet your dogs too though, especially in the garden."
Chantico is enormous but she's a big softie who loves... everyone, humans and animals alike.
"Loki is not low key, he is going to test her patience." Jyn's puppy is an old man at this point and a bully, but Jyn loves him so much, letting the dog sleep on her bed and eat her table scraps. And he is tiny, the smallest of the castle dogs so Chantico could sit on him to make him to make him leave her alone.
But he is Jyn's baby child.
"Come on, let's go inside so we can sleep." Stepping over to Cassian, she takes his hand. Time to step into the fire. The fire of her parents and probably tea and cookies, honestly. "Ready, babe?"
She's shown him pictures of her tiny dog before, along with all the horror stories and tales of cuteness. Chantico is great with other dogs and with people, but just like her owner, she needs her alone time. Maybe she will just sit on Loki for some personal space. "We will find out her limits."
When Jyn takes his hand, Cassian winds their fingers together instantly, squeezing it. It is definitely for his own nerves more than hers. He is probably not very ready at all to meet the king and queen, but he doubts he'll ever really be ready. This whole trip is just continuously tripping him up, but hopes he'll get used to it. He has to.
"Ready enough," he says, offering her a small grin before he briefly lifts up their hands to kiss her knuckles. "Lead the way."
She grins at his soft affection, feeling warm and tremendously happy that Cassian is here with her for winter break. Bodhi claps him on the back once they reach the steps, letting Jyn lead Cassian inside before he brings up the rear, petting the dog and closing the door behind them.
The inside of the palace has a very Downton Abbey feel, fancy and modest at once, walls of honey colored wood paneling and soft carpet in delicate gold and blue medallion-like designs that run down the long halls. Hung along the hall are portraits of kings and queens of old, the odd royal dog or horse, and Jyn only takes the time to point out and name the dogs, Bodhi names the horses but it is really only Christian X's horse Jubilee, the most famous of all the royal horses.
Bodhi is in the middle of telling Cassian about Jubilee, because Jyn loves the story of their great-grandfather, when their father steps out of a room down the hall and looks around, seemingly having heard his daughter's voice.
"Papa!" Jyn releases Cassian, sorry bro, and races down the hall to leap into her father's arms. She hasn't seen him in months, okay.
This is definitely the fanciest goddamn building Cassian thinks he's ever been in, or maybe he just can't quite think about the others because he is a little overwhelmed by this one. Fortunately, Bodhi and Jyn pick the best parts to tell him about, and his nerves fade as the animal stories continue. He likes this part! He pretends Chantico does too, simply because she stops and wags her tail every time Jyn points to a dog.
Down the hall the door opens, and Cassian's gaze slides over; as soon as Jyn lets go of his hand, he knows immediately that this is her father. Her father, the King of Denmark. She takes a flying leap into his arms and he happily wraps her up in a hug.
He doesn't particularly care about propriety, so standing still until Bodhi gestures at him to move forward is moreso out of trying to give Jyn a moment of privacy with her father. As soon as she realizes the direction they're going, Chantico prances onward, nosing at the strange man's legs in hello because she is truly a dog who loves people and gives zero ducks about where she is. King Galen is simply a new friend!
King Galen does not mind this impertinent dog, crouching down to better ruffle the fur at her neck once Jyn releases him. As Cassian approaches, it becomes clear Jyn is introducing her father to the dog because through all the Danish, the name 'Chantico' is quite clear.
Her father dead ass says "nice to meet you, Chantico". To the dog.
He is still crouched down when Cassian is close enough for Jyn to also introduce her boyfriend, stepping away from dad and dog to put her hand on his arm. "Papa, this is Cassian. Cassian, this is my dad, Galen, you don't need call him anything but Galen."
"I liked Dr Erso. No one calls me Dr Erso anymore," Galen complains idly as he stands up to his full height -- which towers over his diminutive daughter -- and holds out his hand to shake Cassian's. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Cassian. Jyn tells me you're a teacher?"
King Galen has already left a good impression, at least as being Jyn's father, because he is very taken in with Chantico and vise versa. While his dog loves most everyone, it's still nice when people do the same in return.
He's only a little bit taller than Cassian, which just makes Jyn seem small all over again, but he does hold out his hand to shake his girlfriend's father's hand, trying to approach it that way instead of thinking about all the royal stuff. It's easier, it's what he wants, and he's pretty sure it's what Jyn wants too.
"Dr. Erso," he says, shaking his hand and offering a polite but easy smile. It's easier than Galen right off the bat, and he refuses to use formalities when it comes to titles, at least as long as it won't get Jyn in trouble. Dr. Erso it is! "It is good to finally meet you too. Jyn has always sounded very fond of you, but she is half wrong. I am more of a teaching assistant while I finish up school."
"Yeah, you teach, so you're a teacher. That is what I said." He teaches entire classes without anyone else's help. He's a teacher, end of story.
Galen looks positively chuffed to be called Dr Erso again and a smile touches his expression, softening the natural solemnity that his daughter had inherited as a resting expression. It's not resting bitch fast, but it's close.
"I trust your flight wasn't too exhausting? Lyra's brought food to your rooms already since Jyn never seems capable of sitting up at the table long enough to finish a meal." Jyn makes a face at her father's teasing, nose wrinkling. He is not wrong but she's been here four minutes and already her jetlag is being dragged.
"Why rooms plural, he's staying with me..?"
"I know, Stardust, but I thought he might like a room to hide in when the jetlag hits you tomorrow."
Wow. Jyn gapes. Dragged twice in thirty seconds. Her mouth shuts. "Valid point. Rude, but valid."
"Technically." He supposes, technically, he is a teacher, even if it's only a temporary place. He's more pleased that Galen seems happy, use of doctor was the right call. Cassian might not actually like people as much as his dog does, but he's very good with them regardless.
"I have flown to California from New York quite a few times, but this one was longer on the plane and in the opposite direction. I am not sure how the jet lag will effect me this time around either." It's a much bigger difference going from New York to Europe than west coast to east. Maybe he too will nap all day!!
Did he furiously google the best methods to get through jet lag the first day? Of course he did. He can still appreciate her own father dragging this travel flaw of hers though. "But she did warn me about her tendency to sleep through it. Good thing I am used to her napping already."
"Lyra loves California," Galen mentions, seemingly having forgotten that Jyn has told him multiple times that Shara lives in California. Despite being a monarch, Galen seems much more the absent-minded professor type.
"We went to the redwood forest, she loved the trees. Do you remember, Bodhi?" A beat. "No, neither of you were born, that's right."
Bodhi snorts a laugh. "One time he asked us if we remembered their wedding."
The family that mercilessly drags each other, stays together.
"My sister lives there, with her partner and son, though she lives in the south. We did take a trip up to the Redwoods when she was stationed near San Francisco though."
He turns to Jyn. "Since you cannot remember the trees, maybe one day we can meet up with Shara there."
It's half teasing like the rest of them are teasing, but it's also a side comment about... bringing all of their families together, one day. It doesn't have to be California. But he likes the idea of it somewhere.
"See, Papa, now we can all see the redwoods, together." Jyn pats her father's arm, his hand lifting to briefly cover hers in a simple show of affection for his daughter, inclining his head to Cassian.
"Family vacation," Bodhi offers, to further hammer it home in solidarity for Cassian. He's Bodhi's friend, too!
"I would like that, I think Lyra would as well."
Faint yipping comes from down the hall and both Jyn and Chantico perk up at the noise; Jyn because she knows that annoying yip and Chantico because NEW FRIEND?
"What would I like?" A woman turns the corner wearing jean overalls that look permanently stained with soil and grass, her hair half pulled back, expression open and questioning. Jyn thinks that she looks more like her father, but she is the spitting image of her mother, apart from Jyn's green eyes.
"Ah. You must be Cassian!" Instead of a handshake, Lyra comes right in for the hug while Jyn crouches down to scoop up the tiny mangy dog that had followed her mother, curling her elderly puppy up in her arms. Sure, Cassian is meeting her mother and she should pay attention but instead she ignores everyone else to whisper sweet nothings to her baby.
"Shara won't stop talking about how she wants to meet you both." So? Family vacation?? That's a thing that's apparently happening now? He's honestly kind of too thrown by the concept to think too deeply about it, so he's just going with the flow.
Fortunately his overthinking is interrupted by Jyn's mother, who immediately leans in for a hug. His hand is still out for a shake when she wraps her arms around him, and he doesn't really know... how to react, so it takes a few seconds for him to awkwardly pat her in return.
"Hello," he says, trying to smooth over his awkwardness with a smile when she pulls back.
"It's good to finally meet you," Lyra says warmly. She looks so much like Jyn, only she is much more effusive right off the bat. Chantico, naturally, zooms over to say her own hellos, but Cassian's grateful for the little interruption. "And you! Who is this fluffy friend?"
"My dog, Chantico," he says, just as his poor dog suffers a crisis of attention. Does she bother this new human? Or the new dog?? A conundrum, circling between Jyn and Loki and her mother with a whine.
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ohnofeelstho2018-12-14 08:27 pm
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Two, he is in Denmark. He has to admit, it's never been on his list of countries he wanted to visit, yet here he is, in Denmark, riding in a private car from the airport with his dog and girlfriend, who is again, a princess.
A princess whomst he sexted on many occasions. Somehow that keeps being the weirdest part of all this to him?
He can see her nerves come to life, the same as his dog, and he reaches over to tangle his fingers through hers. His own anxiety is churning much more quietly, but it's still there too.
"If I wanted to turn around, I would have done so at the American airport." Chantico takes the opportunity to lick at both their hands, whining again. This has been a very long and very strange day for a dog! "Am I nervous to meet your family? Yes. But I am still happy to be here with you."
He is maybe more nervous now than he might have been a month ago because, again, royalty. But spending time with Jyn is never an issue.
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Sounds fake, but Jyn settles minutely with Cassian's hand in hers. It's worse because she is tired, which she knows, travel always makes her very grumpy, but it still feels more stressful than anything. Maybe even more stressful than when Saw taught her active shooter and bomb threat drills with live ammo -- which was fucking stressful. Teenagers should not be exposed to that.
She's happy enough to take the rest of the short ride in nervous silence, but she does stretch up to kiss him drowsily and point out: "Teddy has a family tree cheat sheet we made him when he and Aggie started dating, I bet he brought it for you."
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When she leans up to kiss him, he returns it with the same sort of laziness. Just like how easy it is to spend time with her, it's just as easy to kiss her without thinking. "Teddy is one of your cousins, right? Do I have to memorize everyone right away?"
He may have furiously googled everything about the Danish royal family on wikipedia already, but some of the cousins and more distant relatives don't have much to go on. They honestly all kind of blended together! Save for Jyn and her parents.
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She is definitely borrowing that cheat sheet for him, but she is happy to explain since Cassian is here because she asked and is meeting an entire royal family for her. Because of her.
"You don't have to remember though, I'll introduce everyone when the time comes. And don't worry, Papa doesn't care about ceremony. You don't have to bow or anything dumb like that."
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"Good, because you know I would refuse to bow to any monarch." Why yes he will bring up his anti-monarchical views on the way to meet her very royal family. "I would only get on my knees before you, and that is very different."
Clearly the best way to deal with any of this stress for both of them is to just... be normal and light, run with the fact that she's a princess like it's no big deal. "I will remember them all eventually."
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If he thinks Jyn won't defile the throne room, he is wrong.
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He leans in to kiss her temple. "I can think of no better way to show how little I value monarchies versus how much I value you."
He respects her! He does not respect the crown! It's honestly perfect.
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Maybe it'll even snow for him.
It's only a few minutes later that the car pulls in and Jyn reluctantly pulls away. Not because she wants to be away from Cassian but because she is a stubborn cow and wants to open her own car door. She is lucky that Denmark's royals aren't all that famous because there are no paparazzi to snap her leaping out of the car in leggings and a sweatshirt she stole out of Cassian's carry on during the flight to cover her thin long sleeves.
"Come on, Chantico. Let's get those paws on the ground again!"
They've stopped in front of one of actually four identical palaces set around a courtyard. The blue green main doors are open and a tall man is silhouetted against the light spilling out from inside, along with a number of windows. It's not late enough that the other palaces are blackened, but two of them do look as if they are closed for the night. "Hi Bodhi! You look like a serial killer looming there!"
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Well. At least it doesn't look much like a palace? It just looks like four large buildings with a very large courtyard.
Chantico zooms out of the car before Cassian, ready to move and prance, because it has been a very long day of keeping still! She's practically dancing in place while she waits for Cassian to climb out after her, because as excited as she is to be outside, she won't go far in this strange place without him. She whines, nudging his leg. He feels very underdressed before this palace in his jeans and hoodie (he brought more than one knowing Jyn would steal one), but at least Jyn is matched up.
God, he barely even recognized Bodhi at first. Maybe he's still just in a state of quiet awe about everything. "I am beginning to think you are an expert at looming."
But now that he knows Jyn is a princess, it certainly explains a lot about Bodhi's odd behavior when it comes to his sister.
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If they're gonna make fun of him, he's going to be rude right back. That is how siblings work!
The driver grabs Jyn and Cassian's bags and brings them inside with ease since neither of them actually packed all that much because Jyn assured Cassian he could borrow anything from Bodhi, including a coat so they didn't have to pack their winter coats and suffer on the plane in puffy jackets. That would have been torture. Luckily the night is pretty temperate considering it is December, but Jyn is just happy to be out of the stuffy car and in the fresh sea air. She's practically dancing around the courtyard too so Chantico isn't alone.
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Cassian nearly grabs his bag from the driver, simply because his first though his someone is trying to steal it not carry it for him. He's so baffled by the concept of it that he watches the driver take his bag away until they disappear inside.
He turns back to his dog, who zips around in circles, whining out a song before she just... squats over and starts to pee in the courtyard. There's no grass or trees, and she really has to go!
"Chantico!" he scolds, but nature is calling and his dog can't hold it back anymore. Excellent first impression all around! His fluff monster pissing in the royal courtyard!
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Bodhi helpfully adds, smirking: "Jyn puked on the steps the night before we went back for fall semester."
"I was ill," Jyn protests even as she leaps out of the way of Chantico's puddle. She was not ill, she was drunk. "There is a garden out back she is welcome to fertilize with her blessings, she is not the only dog so there will be plenty for her to sniff out and explore."
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"Alcohol related illness?" he teases, because that's more familiar to tease her for than the giant palaces around him. "She will be happy to meet your dogs too though, especially in the garden."
Chantico is enormous but she's a big softie who loves... everyone, humans and animals alike.
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But he is Jyn's baby child.
"Come on, let's go inside so we can sleep." Stepping over to Cassian, she takes his hand. Time to step into the fire. The fire of her parents and probably tea and cookies, honestly. "Ready, babe?"
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When Jyn takes his hand, Cassian winds their fingers together instantly, squeezing it. It is definitely for his own nerves more than hers. He is probably not very ready at all to meet the king and queen, but he doubts he'll ever really be ready. This whole trip is just continuously tripping him up, but hopes he'll get used to it. He has to.
"Ready enough," he says, offering her a small grin before he briefly lifts up their hands to kiss her knuckles. "Lead the way."
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The inside of the palace has a very Downton Abbey feel, fancy and modest at once, walls of honey colored wood paneling and soft carpet in delicate gold and blue medallion-like designs that run down the long halls. Hung along the hall are portraits of kings and queens of old, the odd royal dog or horse, and Jyn only takes the time to point out and name the dogs, Bodhi names the horses but it is really only Christian X's horse Jubilee, the most famous of all the royal horses.
Bodhi is in the middle of telling Cassian about Jubilee, because Jyn loves the story of their great-grandfather, when their father steps out of a room down the hall and looks around, seemingly having heard his daughter's voice.
"Papa!" Jyn releases Cassian, sorry bro, and races down the hall to leap into her father's arms. She hasn't seen him in months, okay.
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Down the hall the door opens, and Cassian's gaze slides over; as soon as Jyn lets go of his hand, he knows immediately that this is her father. Her father, the King of Denmark. She takes a flying leap into his arms and he happily wraps her up in a hug.
He doesn't particularly care about propriety, so standing still until Bodhi gestures at him to move forward is moreso out of trying to give Jyn a moment of privacy with her father. As soon as she realizes the direction they're going, Chantico prances onward, nosing at the strange man's legs in hello because she is truly a dog who loves people and gives zero ducks about where she is. King Galen is simply a new friend!
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Her father dead ass says "nice to meet you, Chantico". To the dog.
He is still crouched down when Cassian is close enough for Jyn to also introduce her boyfriend, stepping away from dad and dog to put her hand on his arm. "Papa, this is Cassian. Cassian, this is my dad, Galen, you don't need call him anything but Galen."
"I liked Dr Erso. No one calls me Dr Erso anymore," Galen complains idly as he stands up to his full height -- which towers over his diminutive daughter -- and holds out his hand to shake Cassian's. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Cassian. Jyn tells me you're a teacher?"
"Dad. Give him like five seconds."
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He's only a little bit taller than Cassian, which just makes Jyn seem small all over again, but he does hold out his hand to shake his girlfriend's father's hand, trying to approach it that way instead of thinking about all the royal stuff. It's easier, it's what he wants, and he's pretty sure it's what Jyn wants too.
"Dr. Erso," he says, shaking his hand and offering a polite but easy smile. It's easier than Galen right off the bat, and he refuses to use formalities when it comes to titles, at least as long as it won't get Jyn in trouble. Dr. Erso it is! "It is good to finally meet you too. Jyn has always sounded very fond of you, but she is half wrong. I am more of a teaching assistant while I finish up school."
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Galen looks positively chuffed to be called Dr Erso again and a smile touches his expression, softening the natural solemnity that his daughter had inherited as a resting expression. It's not resting bitch fast, but it's close.
"I trust your flight wasn't too exhausting? Lyra's brought food to your rooms already since Jyn never seems capable of sitting up at the table long enough to finish a meal." Jyn makes a face at her father's teasing, nose wrinkling. He is not wrong but she's been here four minutes and already her jetlag is being dragged.
"Why rooms plural, he's staying with me..?"
"I know, Stardust, but I thought he might like a room to hide in when the jetlag hits you tomorrow."
Wow. Jyn gapes. Dragged twice in thirty seconds. Her mouth shuts. "Valid point. Rude, but valid."
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"I have flown to California from New York quite a few times, but this one was longer on the plane and in the opposite direction. I am not sure how the jet lag will effect me this time around either." It's a much bigger difference going from New York to Europe than west coast to east. Maybe he too will nap all day!!
Did he furiously google the best methods to get through jet lag the first day? Of course he did. He can still appreciate her own father dragging this travel flaw of hers though. "But she did warn me about her tendency to sleep through it. Good thing I am used to her napping already."
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"We went to the redwood forest, she loved the trees. Do you remember, Bodhi?" A beat. "No, neither of you were born, that's right."
Bodhi snorts a laugh. "One time he asked us if we remembered their wedding."
The family that mercilessly drags each other, stays together.
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He turns to Jyn. "Since you cannot remember the trees, maybe one day we can meet up with Shara there."
It's half teasing like the rest of them are teasing, but it's also a side comment about... bringing all of their families together, one day. It doesn't have to be California. But he likes the idea of it somewhere.
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"Family vacation," Bodhi offers, to further hammer it home in solidarity for Cassian. He's Bodhi's friend, too!
"I would like that, I think Lyra would as well."
Faint yipping comes from down the hall and both Jyn and Chantico perk up at the noise; Jyn because she knows that annoying yip and Chantico because NEW FRIEND?
"What would I like?" A woman turns the corner wearing jean overalls that look permanently stained with soil and grass, her hair half pulled back, expression open and questioning. Jyn thinks that she looks more like her father, but she is the spitting image of her mother, apart from Jyn's green eyes.
"Ah. You must be Cassian!" Instead of a handshake, Lyra comes right in for the hug while Jyn crouches down to scoop up the tiny mangy dog that had followed her mother, curling her elderly puppy up in her arms. Sure, Cassian is meeting her mother and she should pay attention but instead she ignores everyone else to whisper sweet nothings to her baby.
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Fortunately his overthinking is interrupted by Jyn's mother, who immediately leans in for a hug. His hand is still out for a shake when she wraps her arms around him, and he doesn't really know... how to react, so it takes a few seconds for him to awkwardly pat her in return.
"Hello," he says, trying to smooth over his awkwardness with a smile when she pulls back.
"It's good to finally meet you," Lyra says warmly. She looks so much like Jyn, only she is much more effusive right off the bat. Chantico, naturally, zooms over to say her own hellos, but Cassian's grateful for the little interruption. "And you! Who is this fluffy friend?"
"My dog, Chantico," he says, just as his poor dog suffers a crisis of attention. Does she bother this new human? Or the new dog?? A conundrum, circling between Jyn and Loki and her mother with a whine.